Letter-box



(No Model.)

E. G. HOWBR.

LETTER BOX.

Patented June 9, 1896.

STATES EDlVARD G. I-IOWER, OF TRINIDAD, COLORADO.

LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 561,589, dated June 9, 18961. Application filed UctOber 28, 1895. Serial No. 567,105. (No model.)

T0 atZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, EDWARD G. HOWER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Trinidad, in the county of Las Animas and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter-Boxes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the saine.

This invention relates to a letter-box de4 signed more particularly for street use for the deposit of mail-matter, and the novelty will be fully understood from the following description and claim when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which- Figure l is a vertical sectional view showing the coverclosed and the chute or tray in a tilted position. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the parts in an open position to receive letters or other mail-matter. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view taken in the plane indicated by the dotted line x :n on Fig. 1. Fig.v 4 is a side view of a part of the box with the door or cover raised, and Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken at the point indicated by the dotted line y y of Fig. 2.

Referring by letter to said drawings, A in` dicates the box, which may be of the form and configuration usually employed to receive and hold mail-matter and is substantially constructed of metal or other suitable material. This box is preferably provided with a removable back a, which may be secured by means of bolts or other suitable fastening devices, although I do not wish to coniine myself to having the back removable. 4The front wall of the box is provided ata suitable altitude with an entrance-slot o, and this slot may be made quite large, so as to permit the introduction of packages without jeopardizing the contents of the box in any manner whatever.

B indicates a tray or chute. This chute is pivoted within the main box, so as to allow the same to tilt and discharge its contents, as will be presently apparent. In placing this tray or chute within the main box I first provide the side walls of said box with grooves c, which extend to the rear edge of said walls, and arrange one of said grooves directly opposite the other, and before placing the back wall I insert the lug-journals d, which are formed on or fixed to the rear outer sides of the side walls of the chute or tray, into said grooves and slide the tray or chute within the box, after which I place a plug or strip c within said grooves back of the journals, and then back the plugs or strips with the back or rear wall a of the box. It is obvious, however, that the tray or chute may be pivotally arranged within the box in other Ways.

It will be observed that the chute is pivoted within the box at its rear lower sides, so that the forward end, which is open, will readily discharge when the said chute or tray has been swung upon its pivot. The chute has a floor or base wall f and a top wall g, and depending from the floor are parallel ilanges h, which are slotted obliquiely, as shown at z'. The side walls may have their forward edges curved, as shown at Z, and the front upper wall of the box may be correspondingly curved, as shown at m, and provided just below the receivingslot with a ledge 7c, which will prevent mail-matter from entering the main box without .iirst entering the chute or tray.

O indicates the cover. This cover is of a form substantially as shown, having a front wall n for covering the entrauce-slot i), and is also provided With a iinger piece or lift j). This cover has side walls q and a top r and is arranged exterior to the main box, with its rear sides pivotally connected thereto.

I) indicates the pivots for connecting the cover to the main box. These pivots are of a peculiar construction, having an angular portion s to receive an angular aperture in the side walls of said cover and a circular portion t to bear in a circular hole or aperture in the opposite side walls of the box. The inner ends of these pivot-posts, as shown at u, are also of an angular form and take into an angular aperture in the upper ends of levers E. These levers E are provided at a suitable distance from their lower ends with inwardly-directed studs o, which take into the forwardly oblique slots i in the depending flanges of the tray or chute. It will thus be seen that the pivot-bolts move freely in the apertures of the main box, and when the lid or cover is raised to uncover the entrance slot the levers E, through the medium of the pivot-bolts D, will IOO be swung forwardly and upwardly, and by the employment ofthe studs U on said levers, Working in the oblique slots t', the chute or tray will be raised to receive from the slot l), as better shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and it Will be observed that When the tray or chute is in this receiving position its floor or bottom Wall will close the boX and absolutely prevent the abstraction of any of the mailinatter therefrom. After depositing mailmatter through the entranee-slot onto the tray or chute, by then letting down the lid or cover, so as to close the entrance-aperture,

the direction of movement of the lever Will be reversed and the chute or tray tilted on its `pivotal bearings, so as to discharge its contents intothebox below.

AboX as thus constructed is both cheap and durable and `will vnot only prevent the entrance of rain and moisture, but Will absolutely prevent any unauthorized person from gaining access to or tampering with the mail.

While I have described very specifically and in detail the construction which I have shown, yet I am aware that many of the parts may be altered Without departing from vthe .spirit of my invention, and I therefore do not The combination with the box, having a slot l or aperture for the entrance of mail-matter; of the chute or tray B, having its side Walls Aprovided With the forwardly-oblique slots and pivoted Within the main box, the levers having studs to enter said slots, the cover for the entrance slot or aperture and the bolts provided With the angular portions to receive the said cover and the round portion to bear in the side Walls of the box and also having` the angular portions to receive the upperends of the levers, whereby the lifting of the cover will also `'lift or raise the chute or tray, and the lowering of the cover Will dump the contents of said chute or tray into the box, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of tivo Witnesses.

EDIVARD G. HOYVER. Titnessesz I. E. AULTMAN, E. B. Sornrs. 

